IPL 2025: RCB end 18-year wait to win maiden title with victory over PBKS

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally ended their long wait for an Indian Premier League (IPL) title, clinching their first-ever championship by defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

RCB, who had been part of the tournament since its beginning in 2008, held their nerve in a tense final to script a historic moment for the franchise and its loyal fanbase.

Batting first after being put in, RCB posted 190/9 in their 20 overs – the lowest total recorded at the venue this season. Former skipper Virat Kohli top-scored with a steady 43 off 35 balls, hitting three boundaries. He was supported by Rajat Patidar (26), Liam Livingstone (25), and both Mayank Agarwal and Jitesh Sharma, who scored 24 each.

Punjab’s bowlers put up a strong performance in the final. Arshdeep Singh and Kyle Jamieson led the attack with three wickets each, while Vijaykumar Vyshak, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Yuzvendra Chahal picked up one wicket apiece.

In reply, PBKS started well with openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya adding 43 runs for the first wicket. Arya was dismissed for 24 off 19 balls, while Prabhsimran made 26 off 22 deliveries, including two sixes.

Josh Inglis added 39 runs off 23 balls but wickets at regular intervals derailed PBKS’s chase. Skipper Shreyas Iyer was dismissed for just 1, while the in-form Inglis also fell soon after, leaving PBKS struggling at 98/4 in 12.1 overs.

Shashank Singh fought hard for Punjab, scoring an unbeaten 61 off just 30 balls with three fours and six sixes, but he lacked support from the other end. Despite his late fireworks, PBKS fell short, handing RCB a memorable win.

Krunal Pandya was the pick of the RCB bowlers with an economical spell of 2/17 in four overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar also took two wickets, while Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, and Romario Shepherd each claimed one.

With this win, RCB finally lifted their maiden IPL trophy after three previous appearances in the final, ending an 18-year title drought.